Genes and Health
Is genetic testing good for health? Will gene therapy one day correct our faulty genes and eliminate disease? Some genetic tests can be useful, but genes are poor predictors of common diseases in most people. Read about the limitations of a genetic approach to our health problems.
Recent Articles
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The Telegraph: Genetic 'magic bullet' cures have proven a 'false dawn' (21st April 2009)
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GeneWatch PR: Twins study obesity claims irresponsible, says GeneWatch UK
7th February 2008 -
Scientific paper by GeneWatch's HM Wallace
This scientific paper looks at how data from twins and families is analysed. It concludes that the usual method is likely to exaggerate the importance of genetic differences in common diseases such as cancer. Breast cancer, for example, could often run in families because family members are exposed to the same environmental or lifestyle factors, rather than because relatives share some of their genes. If so, expensive research studies may be looking for "susceptibility genes" which do not exist or will be impossible to find.
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Seminar: Nutrigenomics and the future of food
Scientists researching the links between genes, health and diet - the field of nutrigenomics - argue that this personalised approach could transform healthcare.
GeneWatch, in partnership with Demos and the Food Ethics Council, held a seminar to debate whether this was possible and desirable.
Resources
- Press Releases
- GeneWatch PR: Genomes for all: bad for health and the end of privacy 4th January 2010
- GeneWatch PR: Lords Committee likely to fail public on gene test regulation 6th July 2009
- GeneWatch PR: Regulation needed to prevent human genome from becoming massive marketing scam 29th October 2007
- GeneWatch PR: Diets tailored to your genes are false solution to disease, says new GeneWatch report. 16th May 2006
- GeneWatch PR: GeneWatch UK welcomes rejection of "bar-coding babies" plan. 31st March 2005
- GeneWatch PR: GeneWatch UK Welcomes New NHS Guideline for Familial Breast Cancer 23rd June 2004
- Reports
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Your Diet Tailored to your Genes: Preventing Diseases or Misleading Marketing?
16th May 2006
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Genetic Testing in the Workplace
1st June 2003
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Your Diet Tailored to your Genes: Preventing Diseases or Misleading Marketing?
- Briefings
- GeneWatch briefing: Examples of genes and common diseases (July 2009) 6th July 2009
- GeneWatch Q&A: Lords' Genomic Medicine Report 15th June 2009
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Briefing 35: Nutrigenomics: the future of nutrition?
1st March 2006
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Briefing 34: Genetic technologies: a review of developments in 2005
1st February 2006
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Briefing 32: HUMAN CLONING AND STEM CELLS: unravelling the issues
2nd June 2005
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Briefing 30: Genetic Technologies: A Review of Developments in 2004
1st February 2005
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Briefing 28: Genetic Tests and Health
1st September 2004
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MPs' Briefing: Human Genetics No. 4: Human genetic testing and the influence of the pharmaceutical industry
1st September 2004
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Briefing 27:Bar-Coding Babies: Good for Health?
1st August 2004
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Briefing 26: Genetic Technologies: A Review of Developments in 2003
1st February 2004
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Briefing 23: Pharmacogenetics: Better, Safer Medicines?
1st July 2003
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Briefing 22: Genetic Technologies: A Review of Developments in 2002
1st February 2003
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Briefing 18: Genetics and 'Predictive Medicine': Selling Pills, Ignoring Causes.
1st May 2002
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Briefing 17: Genetic Technologies: A Review of Developments in 2001
1st February 2002
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Briefing 14: Human Bio-Collections: Who Benefits from Gene Banking?
1st April 2001
- Consultation responses
- GeneWatch UK submission to the HGC consultation on direct-to-consumer genetic testing (4th December 2009) 4th December 2009
- GeneWatch response to the Nuffield consultation on medical profiling (21st July 2009) 21st July 2009
- GeneWatch response to the consultation on the Medical Devices Directives 4th July 2008
- Submission to House of Lords 'Genomic Medicine' Inquiry 21st April 2008
- Consultation submission: "The influence of the pharmaceutical industry". 1st August 2004
- Response to Wanless review of public health 14th November 2003
- Response to the Wanless review of health trends 22nd January 2002